Dear Desitin

Dear Desitin-
We love your product, Desitin-- also known around here as "butt butter" (I'm not sure where the nickname came from but that's what our daughter Ava began calling it and I suppose it just stuck).

My question is this: How the hell do you suggest we get the thick gunk off once our sweet girl spreads the paste all over her body, hair, toys, blankets and walls????

Do you have a Desitin remover? If not, perhaps it's something you should consider developing. We would buy it by the barrel. It would come in handy on mornings like this:

6 Weeks: Time for the crib!

Baby Jack got the boot today; the little guy's been evicted from our bedroom to his nursery where he will sleep & nap from now on (despite those occasional days where I need to get my mommy-snuggle fix). I moved Ava to her room on her 6 week anniversary so I feel it's only fair to be consistent with the little fella.

Well, it took a few attempts but I can now say that both kids are napping (holding my breath) in their own rooms. Ahhhh. I obviously don't know what to do with myself which is why I'm on here blogging about it.

I hope that my life will resume some sense of normalcy going forward. I'm not counting on it just yet, though. These little boogers have a mind of their own.

With my newfound freedom I'm thinking I might even venture to make a pork loin with roasted veggies for dinner tonight. It's amazing what a little me-time will do! Here's to more days like this!

Love it!

When I moved here, I never in my life thought I would be blessed with friends that are such incredibly sweet ladies. Since Jack's birth we have been brought numerous (and very delicious) meals, gifts, etc. The outpouring of support has been tremendous and I am so very thankful to all of them.

And even more recently we've gotten some adorable, homemade Christmas gifts from some of the very same girls.

I recieved a hand painted Santa canvas as I was leaving a holiday party last night. The host (Anna) painted these darling Santa pics (with the help of her Mom) and gave one to each guest as they exited the party. How ca-ute??! And talk about time consuming! I can't wait to put it in a frame with white matting. I have the perfect spot for it!

And today, I received a text from my friend (Ali) telling me to check the front door. I opened the door and sitting there was the cutest little gift: homemade holiday coasters. The sweet little elf she is-- came and dropped off a homemade gift for us.

How adorable are these girls?! And could they BE more thoughtful?! Have I mentioned lately how much I love living here??! :)

Too fun!

Scrolling through my Facebook feed, I saw a picture that looked familiar. On the page for the Village of Hinsdale, there is an announcement that their program guide for the upcoming season will soon be available.

Well-- guess who is on the cover?! Yep! It just so happens that there is a picture of Ava and I from their Easter Egg Hunt, taken last year by a village employee (I vaguely remember posing for it).

It's hilarious to look at this pic... Ava was still semi-bald and I remember just finding out a few days before that we were pregnant. 

Nonetheless, it's pretty fun! I wonder if Ava knows she's a mini-celeb...???? ;-)

Jingle's here!

Jingle's here!

Has your family gotten your Elf on the Shelf yet? Seems as though everyone and their dog is embracing this tradition with open arms. And why not? The concept is genius—you had better behave you little scoundrels, the elf is watching!

Our Elf on the Shelf arrived a week late. It seems as though a certain someone (oops) didn’t make it to the store to have all the ingredients for the perfect “Jingle Breakfast,” where our elf would make his grand entrance for the Christmas season.

Well, you-know-who finally got her butt in gear—not like I've been busy or anything (insert sarcasm)—and I am happy to say that our very own elf, Jingle, arrived promptly at 9 a.m. on Saturday. He arrived in full elf fashion, surprising us with a delicious breakfast complete with Donner’s doughnuts, Elfy Eggs, Blitzen’s bacon, Reindeer snacks (apples), Claus’s cocoa and Mom-mosas for the hubs and I. Hair of the dog, anyone?! And did I mention how much I miss day drinking?!

Ava was beyond ecstatic about his arrival; I think her exact words were “Ooooh, I lubb it!” And Ken and I quickly discovered that Jingle had some serious bargaining power; just the mention (threat) that “Jingle is watching” made her snap into shape immediately when she was acting out.

The second morning we had Jingle, we discovered him hanging upside down from our chandelier. Ava was stoked to find him there. In fact, when she woke up, she immediately began searching for him, which surprised me—big time. I thought that it would take a few years for her to fully understand Jingle’s pull with the big man in the red suit. Silly of me to doubt her, I suppose. She’s so darn smart. Clearly she takes after me.

Little does she know, Jingle the Elf will be one of many traditions I look to celebrate with her over the next few years. In my opinion, Christmas is the absolute best time of year. I have the greatest memories from my own childhood and I want to be sure to give my own children the same gift.

Letter from Jingle

In recent years, my mom, sister and I have started a new tradition where we have brunch at the Walnut Room at Macy’s on State Street. They ride the train into the city where we do some shopping and dine by the huge, beautiful tree. And then, if the line isn’t out the door and all the way down Lake Shore Drive, we wait to see Santa. The kids absolutely love it.

In a few years I look forward to taking Ava to see The Nutcracker. I myself grew up taking dance and even danced the lead character (Clara) during my junior year of high school. I would love to say I gave a performance worthy of the American Ballet Theatre, but I will humbly admit that during a matinee performance I bit the dust, landing flat on my face during a grand jete. Ahh. Memories.

Enjoying her 1st ever Jingle Breakfast

I look forward to having a girls' day in the city where we’ll have lunch, shop and end the trip with a performance by the Joffrey Ballet. How spoiled are we to have them in Chicago? It would be a shame not to take advantage.

I also look forward to taking Ava on a “Christmas Lights Drive.” When I was little we would load ourselves into the car, turn on a radio station that was playing Christmas music and we would ride around town in search of beautiful Christmas lights. It was one of my favorite things to do as a child. And how great, it’s 100 percent free!

And of course there will always be the morning spent baking and decorating Christmas cookies.

So much fun. So little time.

I wonder what Jingle thinks about Ava painting her face...?

 This story was originally posted on Hinsdale- Clarendon Hills Patch: Jingle Has Arrived